an overwhelmed guy - how to buy a good princess cut?

[eggnestceo]

Help! Decided to pop the question! Now I need to get a ring... by 4/8.

Just want to buy a great stone in the princess cut. After spending 4 or 5 hours online, I have no clue how to find someone who can sell me a ring with a good stone.

Apparently, there's such a thing as an AGS0 and a GIA Excellent. But neither is definitive?

Because she is a veterinarian (can't wear her ring at work) and has a small hand (size 5) I'm going to get her a small stone.

Based on what I've read, I believe I want:

• 
  0.75 >= Carat <= 1.0 (Big range, I know)
  Cut = Ideal (Whatever this means)
  Color = F, E, or D
  Clarity = VS1, VVS2, VVS1, IF, or FL
  Symmetry = Excellent to Ideal
  0.97 <= H/W ratio <= 1.03
  Polish = Very Good to Excellent
  Fluorescence = Medium to None
  

But then there are other things I've read about that I don't understand. Crown height Percentage, Crown Angle, Pavilion Depth Percentage, Pavilion Angles, Girdle Thickness, & Culet. There's even stuff written like 58% <= Depth <= 77% (Seems like a really wide range) and 58% <= Table <= 77% (Also seems like a wide range).

It's overwhelming!

All of it seems to be geared towards helping me find a diamond that will have excellent real world performance. And that's what we are after, right? It needs to look impressive when she shows it off to her mom, sister, and friends. Will they coo, oooh, and ahh? I can't tell in the jewelry store. They seem to have laser beams mounted in the ceiling and all the rings blind me and look about the same. I've read that real world performance is about brilliance, fire, and sparkle. Apparently, there is something called an ASET that is supposed to have lots of Red and very little Green. I've had tough luck finding these to look at.

I know what setting I want. Simple classic solitaire platinum 4 prong. Like this: http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-engagement-ring-platinum_6720 or this: http://www.tiffany.com/Engagement/Item.aspx?GroupSKU=GRP10027#f+0/1002/2001/3001/0/1002

Where I need help, is how to find a vendor that will sell me an outstanding stone set the way I want it, with the above parameters, and has the info and documentation to back it up. I emailed Blue Nile and they can't send me an ASET. I went to Tiffany, but they don't have AGS or GIA reports. Frustrating...

I'm thankful to find this forum and I'm hopeful I will be able to find some help.

 

[kenny]

Personally I'd get a princess that AGS gave their highest cut grade of zero to.
I trust AGS cut grades more than I do GIA cut grades.

If I wanted to take it to the next level I'd get a Whiteflash ACA or a princess from Cut By Infinity.
I have no hard data but based on reading here for 6 years I suspect they are cut to a higher standard than just any AGS 0.

 

[yssie]

Personally I'd get a princess that AGS gave their highest cut grade of zero to.
I trust AGS cut grades more than I do GIA cut grades.

If I wanted to take it to the next level I'd get a Whiteflash ACA or a princess from Cut By Infinity.
I have no hard data but based on reading here for 6 years I suspect they are cut to a higher standard than just any AGS 0.

Different looks usually I think - 3,4chevron vs Infinity 2
Would add GOG to the list of vendors to check out for princesses

 

[stone-cold11]

Don't bother with angles on a fancy cut, no way to judge cut from angles for princess anyway.

 

[kenny]

Personally I'd get a princess that AGS gave their highest cut grade of zero to.
I trust AGS cut grades more than I do GIA cut grades.

If I wanted to take it to the next level I'd get a Whiteflash ACA or a princess from Cut By Infinity.
I have no hard data but based on reading here for 6 years I suspect they are cut to a higher standard than just any AGS 0.

Different looks usually I think - 3,4chevron vs Infinity 2
Would add GOG to the list of vendors to check out for princesses

I love GOG, have bought from them and will again but does GOG have a branded princess cut where every one meets strict cut parameters of the brand?
My understanding is that is the case with WF ACAs and all princess cuts from Cut by Infinity.
Please correct me if this is wrong.

 

[yssie]

Personally I'd get a princess that AGS gave their highest cut grade of zero to.
I trust AGS cut grades more than I do GIA cut grades.

If I wanted to take it to the next level I'd get a Whiteflash ACA or a princess from Cut By Infinity.
I have no hard data but based on reading here for 6 years I suspect they are cut to a higher standard than just any AGS 0.

Different looks usually I think - 3,4chevron vs Infinity 2
Would add GOG to the list of vendors to check out for princesses

I love GOG, have bought from them and will again but does GOG have a branded princess cut where every one meets strict cut parameters of the brand?
My understanding is that is the case with WF ACAs and all princess cuts from Cut by Infinity.
Please correct me if this is wrong.

You know, I don't actually know. I just kinda lump all GOG lifetime guarantee stones into their "brand" - for better or worse, I guess! Definitely something for OP to look into (requirements, etc.) if she decides to go the princess online route.

 

[charlottejw]

I just made a similar purchase (it arrived today), same parameters but in 2 carat size. I have to say that there were 2 places that I found particularly helpful in my search. Good Old Gold was awesome (this is where I eventually purchased it) and Whiteflash was also a great resource and seemed to be very competitive. I liked the ASET images online at GOG and the tutorial videos that they have comparing various AGS0's and 1's, very informative. I would recommend an AGS0 from GOG's princess selection, I got my stone today and it absolutely blew everything I had seen in stores out of the water!

Princess cuts from all the reading that I have done are VERY tough/impossible to analyze from measurements. So the safest thing to do is stick to "in-house" stones at very reputable dealers (GOG, Whiteflash ACA and some others are mentioned frequently on PS). If you have learned how to read ASET images well that goes a long way. I would compare the ACA selection at Whiteflash with the inventory at GOG, there should definately be something fitting your parameters.

I know that my future Fiance will be very happy when she sees the 2.07 F VS2 AGS0 that I got her, once I saw the stone all my worries dissapeared

 

[charlottejw]

on the subject of brands, GOG does not seem to have one they just have their in-house selection (our you could say they are all the GOG signature princess cut brand). The best way that I found is that I felt safe staying with the stones that they backed with their "lifetime guarentee" because this was pretty important to me for future flexibility. I would equate the ACA stones at Whiteflash to be similar to the princess stones at GOG backed with Lifetime guarentees, but that is only from ASET images, I did not see the stones side by side so someone else can probably add something more complete on that issue.

In terms of being ready on time it would depend also on the band you wanted, I had mine set in a simple solitaire setting and it took one day to turn around including the wire transfers after it came back from my appraiser

 

[eggnestceo]

Hmm, what about this? http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2517192.htm